Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is the ripple effect of the progress of one generation for the sustained development of the next. Gender equity is the process of allocating resources, programmes, and decision-making fairly to men and women without any discrimination. It addresses the imbalances in the benefits available to men and women.
Gender equity serves as an essential building block for sustainable development. The magnitude of the relationship between men and women affects sustainable development in Nigeria because women carry out a lot of responsibility socially but are either unpaid or underpaid. These constraints their capacity to fight for their rights.
Gender equality is not just the concern of half of the world’s population; it is a human right, the concern of everyone, because no society can develop economically, politically, or socially- when half of its population is marginalised. On any sustainable development plan, its fulfilment can only be realised when all human rights- including gender equality- are protected, respected and fulfilled.
Women are made more vulnerable to the impacts of unsustainable practices because they have no independent income or land rights. In many homes around the world, women are at the heart of the household’s nexus of water, food, and energy- and thus often know firsthand about the challenges and potential solutions in these areas. Since women are the most convincing advocates for the solutions that they need, they should be at the forefront of decision-making on sustainable development. The exclusion of women in decisions that affect them only allows for the domination of a few social groups at the expense of others.
A nation is only as developed as its human capital. The human capital comprises individuals engaged in economic activities at both the formal and informal sectors of the nation, these humans are the variables needed for sustainable development of the nation. Gender equality in every sphere of human endeavour may eventually put the Nigerian nation on the map of developed nations of the world and enhance the development of the individuals and the nation economically, socially and lead to a quantum improvement on health as a healthy nation is a developed nation.
This is imbibed from home at young age by the male and female children; the female is thought to know that the male is superior to her whether young or old, this places the female at a disadvantaged position. The female is expected to submit to the headship of the male, even if the male is a younger person to the female and she must always play second fiddle. In many other developing nations, women are often discriminated against socially and girls are seen as a financial burden among poor communities. Traditional preference for sons means millions of female children are lost to infanticide over the years.
The female gender so encumbered as a result of the cultural demands, may have their innate potential that may be of immense benefit for the development of the larger society caged within them as the society has set a limit to how far the women can go in their contributions to the overall development of the society. The Lack of political will on the part of the various governments along with socio-cultural and religious beliefs seem to be part of the factors militating against gender equality in Nigeria as discrimination against women and girls continues unabated.
The female illiteracy situation in Nigeria, as in most developing countries, assumes an epidemic proportion with at least half of the female population being illiterate and suffering under gender-specific inequalities which is continually reinforced through unequal access to education. Women’s participation in literacy programmes is poor because of cultural demands, poor socio-economic status of women and their spouse’s refusal to allow them to participate. Literacy, which is the foundation of education, is essential for the development of women and denying them an education might hinder them from contributing to their own development and that of the society. No nation can rise above the collective ignorance and poverty of its mothers.
To attain sustainable development, the feminization of poverty must be addressed by ensuring that women are seen and treated as equal to men in the society and allowed without prejudice to compete favourably with their male counterparts. Early marriage or child marriage also hinders women’s ability to contribute to the development of the nation. In some cultures, girls are given in marriage to men who are their father’s age or older as ransom for money borrowed.
Even at work, the female gender is still discriminated against in such a manner that their male counterparts get more pay than female workers doing the same job even in the developed economies such as the USA and Australia. It is clear that Gender inequality is a great hindrance to the sustainable development of any nation.
In order to build sustainable development for women in the economy, the following must be considered:
- Empowering women smallholders: Smallholders are defined as small-scale farmers who manage agricultural areas up to 10 hectares or roughly 25 acres. Empowering them helps to promote sustainable agricultural practices. Educating them on how to sustain climate friendly crops or non-reliance on climate-vulnerable crops or mechanising their processes could keep the global food system from being extremely vulnerable to environmental shocks. According to United Nations statistics, Over the last few decades, 55 percent of the improvement in food security in developing countries has been powered by programmes promoting women’s empowerment. If women had equal access to productive resources, their farm yields would increase by 20- 30 per cent. This could reduce global hunger by 12 to 17 per cent and provide enough food to keep 100 to 150 million people from going hungry.
- Invest in care: The global economy relies on the unpaid and underpaid care work of women. Its essential nature was seen especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its value is not equated with its worth because care work, like the environment, is treated like a limitless commodity that can be utilised without regard to its cost or consequence. The government should treat care work like a collectively beneficial good by expanding its availability and providing support where it is needed. This includes expanding care services and increasing support for unpaid caregivers. This could include paid family leave and flexible working arrangements. This could move women’s contribution to human capital from a depletion-based economic model to one based on regeneration. All of this could be done by investing in care.
- Supporting women’s leadership: At both the national and economic level, women’s representation in leadership appears to lead to better environmental outcomes. Women in leadership are more likely to consider their families and communities in the decision-making process. They consider policies that are unique to them and expand on it.
- Funding women’s organisations: This would bring the voices of people who best understand their unique experiences and needs into the decision-making process and help the government to be more accountable to the people they are meant to serve. Government collaboration with women’s organisations can help ensure that policies meet the specific needs of women and girls and that such policies are effectively implemented. These organisations also act as an informal safety net, bridging gaps in government services and helping to provide emergency support.
- Protecting women’s health:
Women are more vulnerable to negative health outcomes. Women are more likely to die in disasters, due to their limited access to resources and services. In times of crises and disasters, women’s vulnerability to gender-based violence increases. These disasters plaguing the environment like health crises such as a pandemic and its economic consequences pull resources away from women’s health services and access to support for victims of gender-based violence. These resources become less accessible to women. Healthcare services need to be strengthened and expanded to keep women healthy and safe.
Author: Ayomide Oyinloye